Johnson Controls introduces low-GWP chiller offerings with R-513A

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As part of its long-term refrigerant roadmap, Johnson Controls today announced two platforms of high efficiency chillers available with low GWP (global warming potential) options.

Building on the history of its product line, Johnson Controlshas extended its portfolio of YORK® chillers to include two key product families that use the refrigerant alternative R-513A—the YORK YVWA water-cooled screw chiller and the YORK YMC2 magnetic bearing water-cooled centrifugal chiller. Johnson Controls is showcasing this offering and featuring other product updates at the Chillventa trade show in Nuremberg, Germany today through Oct. 13.

The offering covers a broad range from 433 to 3,516 kW (120 to 1,000 tons) for water-cooled applications. This represents Johnson Controls’ continued commitment to choose solutions that will best meet the needs of its customers and the environment based on safety, efficiency, reliability, availability and cost.

“This is the first major chiller family to be offered with low-GWP alternatives. We will continue to expand our chiller portfolio with highly efficient chillers and additional low-GWP offerings,” said Laura Wand, vice president of global chillers, Johnson Controls Building Efficiency Business.

“R-513A was selected after extensive testing and evaluation because it is a non-flammable, high efficient, low-GWP alternative refrigerant that reduces the directrefrigerant GWP by 56 percent,” said Wand.

Additionally, Johnson Controls is leading the industry-wide discussion on the use of other low-GWP refrigerant alternatives which have an A2L (mildly flammable) safety rating.

They accelerated research on this topic through their donation of $100,000 to ASHRAE Research to facilitate and accelerate the safe use of flammable refrigerants. This research will help determine when and how to establish standards and building codes which address customers’ flammability concerns.

Johnson Controls’ work to develop and launch broad offerings using R-513A and to advance research on the use of mildly flammable refrigerants is part of its overall environmental commitments to the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

R-513A, or Chemours’ OpteonTM XP10, is a non-flammable (A1) azeotropic alternative to R-134a, providing lower GWP and comparable performance. XP10 was commercialized as a part of a broad portfolio of Opteon™ refrigerants, which represent a breakthrough line of low-GWP solutions.

They were developed to help meet proposed HFC regulations, such as the European F-gas regulation and the U.S. EPA SNAP ruling, while maintaining or improving performance compared to incumbent products.

By providing efficient R-134a chillers that are future compatible with R-513A, Johnson Controls is protecting the long-term investment customers make in its chillers. “Although low-GWP refrigerants play an important role, the greatest contribution to reducing CO2 emissions and operating costs is by investing in highly efficient equipment,” said Wand.

“The YORK chiller portfolio addresses the larger impact of emissions, reducing energy consumption, which can represent 95 per cent or more of a chiller’s lifetime carbon emissions. And the YORK R-134a global chiller offering provides peace of mind as customers can use R-513A.”

As Johnson Controls looks to the future, choosing solutions that will best meet the needs of its customers and the environment based on safety, efficiency, reliability, availability and cost, it will continue to expand its chiller platform with highly efficient chillers and additional low-GWP offerings.

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and multi industrial leader serving a wide range of customers in more than 150 countries. Our 117,000 employees create intelligent buildings, efficient energy solutions, integrated infrastructure and next generation transportation systems that work seamlessly together to deliver on the promise of smart cities and communities.

Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. We are committed to helping our customers win and creating greater value for all of our stakeholders through strategic focus on our buildings and energy growth platforms. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.

About Johnson Controls’ Building Efficiency

Johnson Controls’ Building Efficiency has an unmatched portfolio of HVACR products and solutions to create more comfortable, safe and efficient buildings. Operating in more than 150 countries through a strong network of distribution channels, Building Efficiency’s breadth of offerings help building owners, operators, engineers and consultants impact the full lifecycle of a building. Its market leadership is established through trusted brands such as YORK®, Sabroe® and Metasys® as well as its smart building integration capabilities and energy financing solutions. For more information, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow @JCI_BEnews.